Mark D.

Wednesday January 9th, 2018 Sleep: 7.5 hours. Mood: good, nervous about keeping my win streak going this week. First trade of the day was an ORBU in AMD. I was watching MU for an ORB but I missed my entry so I went with this one instead. I chased this entry a little bit as well. Stop was below VWAP at the 5MIN MA and the goal was to get to the $21.40 level on the daily chart. I got cold feet and sold 75% before my target and held the remaining piece before B/E GOOD: good R/R RFI: entry was not great, sold the majority too early. MOOD: good, wish I had more shares for this trade. CONSISTENT: yes. Next trade was a short in MU. MU sold off down past the VWAP. i waited for an entry at $35.56 risking the VWAP but it never came up that high and i got in on a new 5min low. same risk at VWAP so my share size was small. this trade threw me for a loop. huge volume on a spinning top and I ended up selling on a new 5min high. GOOD: got out on a new 5min high and saved me from a full stop loss. RFI: could have got out at b/e MOOD: ok CONSISTENT: yes turned right around and went long in MU with a bad risk level. i came up a little bit but then right back down on a SPY selloff and stopped me out. glad i got auto stopped because i was being very stubborn about not letting this one go. GOOD: auto-risk got me out of this trade. RFI: needed to see that it was selling off big and should have got out at break of VWAP at least. MOOD: frustrated. CONSISTENT: yes because of the auto-stop next trade was a short in AMD. like MU it sold off and so i waited for a pullback to the MA on the 1min chart. it didn't quite get there and i got in on a new 1min low. again i didn't change my risk level so i didn't have that many shares and it kept me from selling at the PPDH which was the smart move. got out on a bounce from PPDH and then a new 5min high. GOOD: didn't impulse jump in and waited for a good entry. RFI: needed to change my risk level before getting in MOOD: mentally exhausted. CONSISTENT: yes. i was done trading but then i saw the double bottom in AMD with the PPDH and the PDC and thought it was too good to pass up. i got in long but i rushed it a little bit. it started having trouble getting through the MA on the 5min chart and i had to use the bathroom so i thought i put in a stop at my entry but i accidently got out of the trade. a little frustrated that it then went to my profit target. oh well. GOOD: saw a really good setup and took it. RFI: learn how to make correct stops MOOD: tired CONSISTENT: yes? i meant to be. What i did good today: kept my head in the game and didn't make too many bonehead mistakes. What i did bad today: didn't change my risk levels and got too small amount of shares for most of my trades. Worst trade of the day and why?: the long trade in MU because it was poorly planned with no real stop level to risk What can i do better tomorrow: need to remember to take a step back and log the losing trades so i don't just jump in to a crappy trade. Other comments for tomorrow: i was nervous at the open because i traded well Monday and Tuesday and i started focusing on making money and not on good, consistent execution of trades. need to remember to always focus on taking good trades and don't worry about the money.

Tuesday January 8th, 2019 Sleep: 7 hours. Mood: ok, a little bit tired. First trade was an ORBU in SQ. it fell below VWAP and I still went long and got stopped out. GOOD: got stopped out with the auto risk controls RFI: probably should not have taken the trade because there was not buying support at the VWAP MOOD: ok CONSISTENT: yes. Next trade was a MA trend trade in MU. MU sold off in the first fifteen minutes, when it bounced back to the PDC and MA on 5MIN and 1MIN chart I got in short and sold half at a level and I kept the second half for the PDL but I got cold feet and got out a little bit early. GOOD: great trade, good R/R good execution. RFI: I could have got in short again on the pullback a couple minutes later. MOOD: really pleased with this trade. CONSISTENT: yes. What I did good today: Didn’t let my first trade screw with my psychology and came back with a second great trade. What I did bad today: There were better ORBs to take instead of SQ. Worst trade of the day and why?: ORBU in SQ because I went long after it broke through the VWAP and was looking choppy. What can I do better tomorrow: Don’t force the ORBs and keep a look out for better opportunities before jumping in. Other comments for tomorrow: Keep up the consistent trading.

Monday January 7th, 2019 Sleep: 7 hours. Mood: good, determined to be more consistent this week. First trade of the day was an ORBU on ROKU. I waited for an entry when I saw it was holding the WVAP on the 5min chart. Sold 75% at the HOTD and the rest on a run up over $38. Good R/R and good selling. GOOD: R/R and selling was according to plan RFI: should have given it a minute or two more on the first sell. MOOD: good, happy to start the day and week with a good trade. CONSISTENT: yes. Next trade was an engulfing short in AMD. I was considering taking this to the long side with the trend but I saw the engulfing and I was hoping for a new 15min low to propel the price down to the VWAP. The 15min level held and then it started making new 5min highs and came up past my stop and I got out early. GOOD: active management of the trade. RFI: should have waited for a good long entry instead of the short. MOOD: glad to get out with a small loss. CONSISTENT: yes. Last trade of the day was an ABCD in ROKU. Risked the new 5min low to the HOTD. Sold 75% at the HOTD and the sold the rest at $39.99. GOOD: nice planned trade. RFI: I chased the entry a little bit MOOD: good. CONSISTENT: yes. What I did good today: All trades were well thought out and executed. What I did bad today: Should have traded with the trend on AMD. Comments for tomorrow: Keep up the consistent trading for tomorrow.

Friday January 4th, 2019 Sleep: 8 hours. Mood: good, happy to be home to concentrate. First trade was an ORBU in BMY. Sold the first half at the HOTD and then the second half at $46.50. I should have held this one longer, I could have finished my day in one trade. GOOD: waited a minute or two before picking a direction. RFI: sold too early. MOOD: happy to start off Friday with a nice win. CONSISTENT: yes. Next trade was a long in BMY. I thought it would stay above the VWAP. Turns out it didn’t and I got stopped out. GOOD: got stopped out. RFI: let the 5min candles complete before getting in. MOOD: a little bit bummed that I lost some of my winnings. CONSISTENT: yes. Next trade was an engulfing long trade over the VWAP in MU. I was really confident in this one but it just didn’t work. MU was trading exactly with the SPY and it sold off after I got in the trade and killed this one. I think maybe I should have got out when it made a new 5min low. i should have bailed at $31.99 on the the close of the second five minutes. GOOD: nice setup. RFI: should have got out at a new 5min low. You can always get back in. I need to get in this habit now even though it’s expensive commission wise. MOOD: really pissed I got stopped out here. CONSISTENT: yes, but I should have bailed early. Then I just blew up for the day. Took three unplanned trades in BMY all 100 shares and all losers. Erasing all my gains and turning in to a max loss day. GOOD: lucky to have stop losses. RFI: need to take time off and blow off steam before taking trades like this. I need to log my losses right after they happen to get some perspective and not do anything crazy right after like I’m prone to do. MOOD: extremely frustrated and angry. Very disappointed in myself. Not at all happy with this emotional trading. CONSISTENT: not at all. What I did good today: First trade was great. What I did bad today: Those emotional trades in BMY were awful. Worst trade of the day: The last three in BMY. What can I do better tomorrow?: Not trade when you’re losing. Log the first loss after it happens. Take a 5 minute walk after two losses in a row. Other comments for tomorrow: You trade better than this. This was embarrassing. Those last blow up trades in BMY were uncalled for, and unnecessary. The market is the same as my emotions, i can't control what it does but i can control how i react to it.

Thursday January 3rd, 2018 Sleep: 7 hours. Mood: good, I want to do better than I did yesterday. I want to make good trading decisions. First two trades were ORBD in BMY. I went too impulsive and got stopped out of the first one immediately. The second one almost stopped me but I held on and sold half at $45 and the other half at a new 5min high. I should not have sold the second half, I should have held for b/e or my profit goal. GOOD: auto stop got me out of my trade. RFI: too impulsive on the entries. MOOD: not happy getting stopped out and then not making my profit target. CONSISTENT: yes on the first, no on the second. Next two trades I tried to short MU. The first one was a impulse because I saw the SPY sell off with heavy volume. I immediately got stopped out. The second one went much better and I made back what I lost on the first one but I’m just treading water. Sold the first half of the winner at the LOTD and the second half too soon. GOOD: got stopped out. RFI: impulse entry again!! And selling too soon. MOOD: frustrated. CONSISTENT: yes and no. Then I took a frustration trade in MU. I held through to the LOTD but it bounced right off and I got out at the b/e. last trade was a long in MU that was my best trade of the day but I still cut it short. GOOD: saw the trade wasn’t working and didn’t give up money on the short. Saw it was a reversal and got in for some profit. RFI: no planning on the trades, I need to work on taking realistic R/R of two or more. Too tight a stop on the first trade. Should have sold at the LOTD on the second trade. MOOD: pissed. CONSISTENT: no emotions were running the show but I made the best of the bad situation. What I did good today: Didn’t totally blow up and turned a red day green. What I did bad today: Poorly planned trades with stops that were two tight were the reason I lost on most of the trades today. Worst trade of the day and why: The first MU short because I traded purely on emotions and impulsively, two trading sins. What can I do better tomorrow: I need to take better care of seeing realistic profit objectives. I’m killing my R/R by jumping in on impulses.

Wednesday January 2nd, 2019 Sleep: 6.5 hours. Mood: tired, stressed from work already. First trade of the day was an ORBU in MU. I got down on the trade and got out at break even. Turned out to be a great trade. GOOD: I got the share size on the entry I deserved. Room For Improvement: entry was terrible. Plus I let my emotions trade instead of just letting the trade go. MOOD: ok CONSISTENT: no, I let my feelings dictate the trade. Next trade was a reversal in MU. I don’t know why I took this trade. The trend was clearly in the up direction. Got stopped out with a stop at no resistance. GOOD: the autostop stopped me out. RFI: this was a very bad trade. All aspects were bad. Dumb trade. MOOD: not happy with this trade at all. I got what I deserved on this one. CONSISTENT: yes I got out at my planned stop. Last trade of the day was a bull flag long in SQ. this was a good trade, I got in at the pullback, good risk to reward. I just barely got stopped out. GOOD: nice planned trade that would have worked great. RFI: my stop was too tight. Should have been the bottom of the bull flag. MOOD: pissed off I got stopped out right at the bottom before a nice move higher. CONSISTENT: yes but not happy with my stop placement on this one. What I did good today: Stopped on three losers. Almost hit max stop loss for the day but controlled my emotions enough to not hulk out. What I did bad today: Too emotional today. I feel out of my element being back at work and having a really hard time concentrating today. Worst trade of the day and why?: The second trade in MU. I don’t understand why I took that trade? I knew going in that that was the wrong choice but I did it anyway. I am off my game today. What can I do better tomorrow: Trade with the trend. Have a plan and get a good entry. Don’t chase. Other comments for tomorrow: Not the way I wanted to start the year but it is what it is. I will concentrate more tomorrow.

I went live January 2nd and i'm going to try and update every day i trade. The eventual goal is 1000 share trades. From Robert H's advice, i'm starting with 100 shares per trade (100 max, depending on the auto share calc hotkey) and working up from there. i move up a level every when i hit my min profit goal 5 days in a row. stop is the max amount i'm willing to lose in a day. Current level: 100 shares. Every trade is graded on a point system (out of 4) as follows: consistent winning rules is a little subjective on my part. one example would be getting out of a trade because i'm uncomfortable but not because of the price action. Current Risk Settings (DAS risk settings): Max Loss (Per day): $36.00 this includes commissions. Position Unreal Loss $10.00 not including commissions. I use Kyle's hotkeys to auto calc share size based on predesignated risk levels. any feedback is appreciated!

thanks! rough start for me so far, learning really quick that my emotions are worse with real money. i'm down about $60 for the year including fees. it's tough trading 100 shares/trade the commissions really get you. i was just doing my weekly review and seeing that i was not on my game this week. it's just another step in the learning process. just a heads up the pivot tables on the excel file that show winning % by trade type need some work. i'll provide an updated file if i can ever get it to work right. that is awesome, i agree the hotkeys share calc was a huge help to me too especially on ORBs. thank you! hope you have a successful year trading as well

hello bear bull traders! first off i wanted to say thank you to Andrew, Brian, the moderators, and all of the amazing members of this community. without all of you i would not have got as far as i have in my trading and I feel very fortunate to live in a time where i can have mentors that i never speak to but learn from watching the youtube videos and hanging around in the chatroom. i wanted to share my results from one year in the SIM training. My journal and excel files where i store all my trades can be found here at this one drive link: https://1drv.ms/f/s!Av0RVn6INi5egsVc5myfWu_4FeDg0g this link has all my journal entries, risk settings, hotkeys, basically all the trading information i've gathered so far. feel free to use any of it and message me if you have any questions. I read Andrew's first book about 15 months ago i was determined to at least try and make day trading a viable business for me. i spent the first three months just watching the chatroom and then started in sim right around the beginning of 2018. 12 months of simulator is a lot for some people but i trade at my job most days of the week so some days i'm distracted and some days i can't trade at all. it's been a long road but i've been having fun even with the low points. it took me about six months to start having an increasing equity curve: you'll notice that one trade really killed me. i lost almost $3,000 in one trade! that coupled with another big loser was my turning point. i knew i needed to start taking the practice more serious and start using risk controls because i am prone to letting my losers run on me. i still ended the year down about $2,300. In December i started taking sim trades of only 100 shares and then towards the end of the month i was only taking one live trade a day so as to not break the PDT rule. i got bored of trading in sim and wanted to start trading real money. i finally got my account fully funded so i've started 2019 taking all live trades. i'm already seeing how much harder it is than sim trading but i'm going to keep at it. i'm planning on starting another post of my live trades in the daily recaps as part of my new years resolution to be a more active member. thank you all again and happy trading in 2019!

thank you!

thank you @KyleK29 this has been a huge help to my trading! i was wondering if you know why sometimes the price double clicked in the chart shows up in the montage and sometimes it doesn't? the hotkeys work either way it just seems almost random if the price is displayed in the montage or not. thanks again!!

Great Carlos, thank you!

Hi All, i'm working on growing my real account to $25k so that i can trade without worrying about the PDT rule. I spent some time reading on FINRA's website about what constitutes a trade and it says: "Day trading refers to buying then selling or selling short then buying the same security on the same day. Just purchasing a security, without selling it later that same day, would not be considered a day trade." so my question is say i buy 500 shares and then sell in 100 increments, is that one trade once i'm flat or is that four trades? five trades? i'm afraid i'm going to get stuck short or long if IB cuts me off for PDT. Seeing if anyone has experience with this or what happens when you go over the limit. thank you!